St. Joan of Arc is the patroness of soldiers and of France. On January 6, 1412, Joan of Arc was born to pious parents of the French peasant class, at the obscure village of Domremy, near the province of Lorraine. At a very early age, she heard voices: those of St. Michael, St. Catherine and St. Margaret.
SOLITARY WITCHES
Buckland’s Complete Book of Witchcraft – Ray Buckland
In the majority of Witchcraft traditions there is no way that an ‘individual’
can operate – membership in a coven is mandatory. Most traditions have a system
of degrees of advancement not unlike those found is Freemasonry and other secret
societies. With such a system it is necessary for a Witch to advance, within the
coven, to a particular degree before being able to even cast a Circle. In order
to initiate others it is necessary to attain the highest degree. As a First
Degree Witch they can join with the rest of the coven in worship and in the
working of magick but can do nothing alone.
Such a system is all very well, and those involved seem quite content with it.
But it seems to me that an important point is being overlooked. Back in the ‘old
days’ of the Craft, there were many Witches who lived at a far distance from any
village or even from any other people at all. Yet these ‘were’ still Witches.
They still worshiped the old gods and still worked their own magick. That, I
feel, was as it should have been…and as it still should be. There are one or two
traditions, today, that do subscribe more directly to the old ways. In the Seax-
Wica, for example, there is not the dependence on the coven situation; there is
the reality of the Witch alone.
The main point here is that you should not be ‘excluded’ from the Wicca for such
a reason. Just because you don’t live anywhere near a coven; just because you
don’t know of anyone else with similar interests; just because you are an
individualist who doesn’t care to join with others… these are no reasons why you
should not be a Witch. So lets look at Solitary Wicca.
What are the main differences between a coven Witch and being a Solitary?
1. With a covener, the rituals are performed by a group of people; several
(principally the Priest and/or Priestess) playing the parts.
As a Solitary, you do everything yourself.
2. The Coven meets in a large (usually nine ft. diameter) circle.
The Solitary has a small “compact” circle.
3. The Coven use a “full complement” of tools, depending on the tradition.
The Solitary uses only what s/he feels s/he needs.
4. Coven meetings must, to an extent, be held when most convenient for the
majority.
The Solitary can hold a ritual whenever s/he feels like it.
5. A Coven draws on all its members to build a Cone of Power.
A Solitary has only her/his own power to draw on.
6. A Coven has a wide variety of knowledge and specialties.
A Solitary has only her/his own knowledge and specialty.
7. A Coven is usually fairly set in its ways.
A Solitary can change with her/his moods.
8. A Coven ritual can become almost a ‘production’ or pageant.
A Solitary ritual can be the barest minimum of words and actions.
9. A Coven must attune itself as one.
A Solitary IS one.
There are many other differences, of course, but these are enough to illustrate
the point that there are both advantages and disadvantages to being a Solitary.
Generally speaking, there is much more flexibility to being a Solitary, but
there is also a more limited store of knowledge and magickal power on which to
draw. Let me elaborate on the above points.
1. As a Solitary, you do everything yourself.
You can write your own rituals, just for you. But you can also adopt and adapt
coven ones. As an example of what can be done, here are some of the rituals from
this book (Erecting the Temple; Esbat; Cakes and Ale; Clearing the Temple),
suitably modified. You can do the same sort of thing with most of the others.
Compare these with the originals as you go.
ERECTING THE TEMPLE
Wiccan rings the bell three times, facing east. She then takes the Altar Candle
and lights the East Candle from it, saying:
“Here do I bring light and air in at the East, to illuminate my temple and bring
it the breath of life.”
She moves around to the south to light that candle.
“Here do I bring light and fire in at the South, to illuminate my temple and
bring it warmth.”
To the west:
“Here do I bring light and water in at the West, to illuminate my temple and
wash it clean.”
To the north:
“Here do I bring light and earth in at the North, to illuminate my temple and
build it in strength.”
She moves on round to the east and then back to the altar. Replacing the Altar
Candle, she takes up her athame and goes again to the east. With point of athame
down, she traces the Circle, directing her power into it. Returning to the
altar, she rings the bell three times then places the point of her athame into
the Salt, saying:
“As Salt is Life, let it purify me in all ways I may use it. Let it cleanse my
body and spirit as I dedicate myself in this rite, to the glory of the God and
the Goddess.”
She drops three portions of Salt into the Water, saying:
“Let the Sacred Salt drive out any impurities in the Water, that I may use it
throughout these rites.”
She takes up the Salted Water and, starting and finishing at the east, walks
around sprinkling the Circle. She then goes around again with the thurible,
censing the Circle.
Back at the altar, she drops a pinch of salt into the oil and stirs it with her
finger. She then anoints herself with it, saying:
“I consecrate myself in the names of the God and of the Goddess, bidding them
welcome to this, my Temple.”
The Witch now moves to the east and, with her athame, draws an invoking
pentagram.
“All hail to the element of Air, Watchtower of the East. May it stand in
strength, ever watching over this Circle.”
She kisses the blade of the athame, then moves to the south, where she draws an
invoking pentagram.
“All hail to the element of Fire; Watchtower of the South. May it stand in
strength ever watching over my Circle.”
She kisses the blade and moves to the west and draws an invoking pentagram.
“All hail to the element of Water, Watchtower of the West. May it stand in
strength, ever watching over my Circle.”
She kisses the blade and moves to the north, where she draws an invoking
pentagram.
“All hail to the element of Earth, Watchtower of the North. May it stand in
strength, ever watching over my Circle.”
Kissing the blade, she returns to the altar, where she raises her athame high.
“All hail the four Quarters and all hail the Gods! I bid the Lord and Lady
welcome and invite that they join with me, witnessing these rites I hold in
their honor. All hail!”
She takes the goblet and pours a little wine onto the ground (or into the
libation dish), then drinks, saying the names of the gods.
“Now is the Temple erected. So Mote It Be!”
ESBAT
Witch: “Once more do I come to show my joy of life and re-affirm my feelings for
the gods. The Lord and the Lady have been good to me. It is meet that I give
thanks for all that I have. They know that I have needs and they listen to me
when I call upon them. So do I thank the God and the Goddess for those favors
they have bestowed upon me.”
Then, in her own way, she gives her thanks and/or requests help. She then rings
the bell three times and says:
“An it harm none, do what thou wilt. Thus runs the Wiccan Rede. Whatever I
desire; whatever I would ask of the gods; whatever I would do; I must be assured
that it will harm no one – not even myself. And as I give, so shall it return
threefold. I give of myself – my life; my love – and it will be thrice rewarded.
But should I send forth harm, then that too will return thrice over.”
Here the Witch may sing a favorite song or chant, or play an instrument.
Witch: “Beauty and Strength are in the Lord and the Lady both. Patience and
Love; Wisdom and Knowledge.”
(If the Esbat is taking place at either the Full or the New Moon, then the
appropriate segment is inserted at this point. Otherwise go directly into the
Cakes and Ale ceremony.”
CAKES AND ALE
Witch: “Now is it time for me to give thanks to the gods for that which sustains
me. May I ever be aware of all that I owe to the gods.”
She takes the goblet in her left hand and her athame in her right and slowly
lowers the point of the knife into the wine, saying:
“In like fashion may male join with female, for the happiness of both. Let the
fruits of union promote life. Let all be fruitful and let wealth be spread
throughout all lands.”
She lays down the athame and drinks from the goblet. Replacing it on the altar,
she then touches the cake with the point of the athame, saying:
“This food is the blessing of the gods to my body. I partake of it freely. Let
me remember always to see to it that aught that I have I share with those who
have nothing.”
She eats the cake, pausing to say:
“As I enjoy these gifts of the gods, let me remember that without the gods I
would have nothing. So Mote It Be!”
CLEARING THE TEMPLE
Witch: “As I came into my Temple in love and friendship, let me leave it the
same way. Let me spread the love outward to all; sharing it with those I meet.”
She raises her athame high, in salute, and says:
“Lord and Lady, my thanks to you for sharing this time with me. My thanks for
watching over me; guarding and guiding my in all things. Love is the Law and
Love is the Bond. Merry did I come here and Merry do I part, to merry come
again. The Temple is now cleared. So Mote It Be!”
She kisses the blade of her athame.
2. The Solitary has a small, “compact” Circle.
There is no need for the large, coven-size Circle when you are working alone.
One just large enough for you and the altar is all you need…probably five feet
in diameter would be sufficient. When ‘Erecting the Temple’, you would still
walk all around this Circle to ‘draw’ it with your athame, and to sprinkle and
cense it, but for addressing the four Quarters you need only turn and face the
directions from your place behind the altar. When working magick, it is easier
to build up power in a smaller Circle and it is generally a “cozier” feeling.
3. The Solitary uses only what s/he feel s/he needs.
You probably won’t need as many tools as a coven uses. You may decide to use no
more than you athame and censer. It is up to you; you have only yourself to
please. Don’t forget that you don’t HAVE to follow all the rituals exactly.
Examine as many traditions as you are able. See what tools they use and ‘why’
(it seems some groups use some items without really knowing why they do!), then
decide on which ones you need. You will find traditions that use broomsticks,
ankhs, wands, tridents, etc. You may even decide to add something that no one
else uses – the Pecti-Wita, for example (a Solitary tradition, as it happens)
use a ritual Staff which is not found elsewhere. Don’t add something just for
the sake of having it, or just to be different. Use something because you need
to use it, because you feel more comfortable with that particular tool then with
another or then without it at all.
4. The Solitary can hold a ritual whenever s/he feels like it.
A coven meets for the Sabbats and Esbats. The dates for the Esbats are fixed at
the most convenient times for the majority of members. As a Solitary, you can
have an Esbat whenever you feel like it. You can have Esbats three or four days
in a row, or go from New Moon to Full Moon without one at all. It’s up to you
and how you feel. If there is a sudden emergency – perhaps a healing that needs
to be done – you can get into it right away. You don’t have to desperately try
to contact others before you can get to work.
5. A Solitary has only her/his own power to draw on.
When working magick, a coven generates a lot of power. Working together, the
total power of the whole far exceeds the sum of the parts. The Solitary can do
no more then use the power s/he has. This is a fact and should be accepted. It
is one of the few drawbacks to being a Solitary. But this does not mean that
‘nothing’ can be done! Far from it. Many Solitaries do a great deal of excellent
work, drawing only on their own resources. A good parallel night be seen in
boat-racing or sculling, where you have teams of eight oarsmen, four, two or
single rowers. All propel their craft equally well. The only difference is the
greater speeds attained by the boats with the increased numbers of oarsmen.
6. A Solitary has only her/his own knowledge and specialty.
In a coven there is an accumulation of talents. One Witch might specialize in
healing, another in astrology, one in Herbalism, another in tarot reading. Once
might be an excellent tool-maker, another a great calligraphist; one a winemaker
and/or seamstress and another a psychic and psychometrist.
As stated, the Solitary has only her/his own knowledge available. This, then, is
another disadvantage but again, one that must be accepted. There is certainly no
reason why, as a Solitary, you should not be in touch with others (Wiccans and
non-Wiccans) who are astrologers, tarot readers, herbalists, etc. and to call
upon them for help and advice when needed. It is just that you don’t have them
readily to hand there in the Circle with you, available at all times.
7. A Solitary can change with her/his moods.
A Gardnerian coven rigidly follows the Gardnerian rites. A Welsh-Kelic coven
rigidly follows the Welsh-Keltic rites. A Dianic coven rigidly follows the
Dianic rites. This all goes without saying. Even an eclectic coven will
generally settle into rites, from whatever sources, with which it feels
comfortable and will stay with them. But the Solitary is free (freer even than
most eclectics, if only by virtue of having only her/himself to please) to do
whatever s/he likes… to experiment, to change, to adopt and adapt. S/he can do
elaborate, ceremonial rites on day and simple, plain, ingenuous rites the next.
S/he can do Gardnerian oriented rituals one time, Welsh-Kelic the next and
Dianic the next. There is tremendous freedom for the Solitary, which I urge you
to enjoy to the utmost. Experiment. Try different types and styles of rituals.
Find those that are exactly right for you.
8. A Solitary ritual can be the barest minimum of words and actions.
This follows on from (7) above. You can enjoy a true economy of ritual if you so
desire. Let me give you an example:
Erecting The Temple (Alternate)
The Witch lights the four Circle Candles from the Altar Candle and, with the
athame, “draws” the Circle, directing power into it. She then sits, or kneels,
before the altar and proceeds with a meditation on the elements:
(This should be familiarized – not necessarily word for word – so that it can be
followed through without effort)
“You are sitting in the middle of a field. There is lush green grass all about
you, with a generous scattering of bright yellow buttercups. Some distance
behind you, and continuing way off to your left, a wooded rail fence, with other
fields beyond it, stretches off to another distant fence, beyond which are more
fields leading to the foothills of the mountains which you can see in the far
distance.
A very light breeze ruffles the top of the grass and you can feel the
wind’s gentleness as it brushes your face. Crickets chirrup in the grass and,
from the trees beyond the hedgerow, you can hear the occasional song of a bird,
You feel contented, you feel at peace.
A swallow swoops down and soars low across the field not twenty feet in
front of you. He wings up and away over the trees towards the distant mountains.
A grasshopper lands on your knee, then almost immediately is gone again.
You get to your feet and stroll leisurely through the grass, parallel to
the hedgerow. Your feet are bare and the grass lightly tickles them as you move
along. You walk over to your right till you are close beside the hedge, then
advance along it. Reaching out your hand as you walk, you gently brush the
leaves; just catching them with your fingertips as you move along. There is a
slight rise in the ground ahead of you and off to the left. You leave the
hedgerow and move lightly up the hillock to stand where you can gaze about you
at all the beauty that surrounds you.
Seemingly coming all the way from the distant mountains, the breeze you
felt earlier is now more steady and you feel it on your face and arms. It gently
ruffles the tops of the grass and causes buttercups to nod their golden heads.
You stand on the hillock with your legs spread wide and slowly raise up your
arms towards the sky. As you raise them, you breathe in deeply. You hold the
breath for a moment, then gradually release it, bringing your arms back down to
shoulder level. As you release the breath you sing out the sound “Ah”……”A-a-a-a-
a-a-a-h!”
A second time the wind returns, this time blowing strongly; bending the
grass and stirring the hedgerow off to your side. It blows back your hair and
feels warm against your cheeks. For the third time you raise your arms to the
sky and cry out to the air. “A-a-a-a-a-a-a=h!” And for the third time the air
replies by sending the strong, rushing wind across the fields, bending the grass
before it and swirling up and around your body; tugging your hair back from your
face and fluttering the robes that you wear.
As the wind dies you allow your arms to fall to you sides and stand, with
head bowed, in the warmth of the sun. Breathing regularly, but deeply, you feel
the strength of the sun as it shines down upon you from out of the cloudless
blue sky. Slowly you life your face, with eyes closed, and bask in the radiance
that encompasses you. You breathe in deeply, sensing the cleansing and
purifying. AS you breathe, you feel the vitality building within you, fed by
those timeless flames.
You bring your hands up, together, to your chest, cupping them as though
holding the very orb of the sun. You continue raising them, up to your face then
on up high above your head. With palms open and upward, you spread your arms and
reach up, absorbing the sun’s rays into your body, this time through your hands
and down through your arms. Feel the energies rippling down through your body,
down through your legs, all the way to your toes. Feel the fire within you. Feel
the fire.
Now you lower your arms and, turning back towards the hedgerow, you leave
the hillock and continue on along the side of the field. As you walk you become
aware of a new sound – the sound of a running stream a tinkling of the waters
rushing over and around pebbles and small stones reaches your ears and draws you
forward. You reach the end of the hedgerow and see a small wood set back behind
it. From out between the trees runs the stream, bubbling and bustling on its way
to it knows not where. It curves out and around, to rush off and disappear from
view on the far side of the hedgerow you followed.
You drop down to your knees and reach forward a hand to feel the water. It
is cold, yet not so cold as to turn you away. The rushing water murmurs protest
at the new obstacle and bubbles around and between your fingers, eager to be on
its way. You smile and slip the other hand in beside the first. You wriggle your
fingers and rejoice in the invigorating coolness of the water. You splash your
face and feel the cold droplets trickle down your neck. It is refreshing and
energizing. You cup your hands and raise a human grail of divine essence from
the stream you bend and plunge your face into it, to celebrate a catharsis of
the flesh of the spirit. The water refreshes, cleanses and purifies. It is a
gift; a freely given pleasure. You sigh a long sigh of contentment.
Rising to your feet again, you move on along the edge of the trees until
you reach the corner of a large, ploughed field that opens out to the left. The
soil is newly turned and the scent of it heavy in the air. You walk out towards
the center of the field, breathing deeply and feeling the good clean dirt of the
earth between your toes as you walk.
When you finally reach the middle of the ploughed field, you stoop down
and sweep up two handfuls of the rich, dark brown earth. It feels good; in
communicates a kinship of nature. You feel a ‘grounding and centering’ of your
body, through your feet, into the earth. It is a sense of coming home, or
reaching that which you have long sought.
You lie down on the earth, between the furrows, eyes closed and face
towards the sky. You feel the gentle breeze blowing over you and luxuriate in
the warmth of the sun. away in the distance you can just make out the tinkling
of the stream as you absorb the energies of the earth. Your spirit soars and
rejoices. And, in so doing, you have touched all of the elements.”
You can see that the “things said” and “things done” are all in the mind. You
may well feel comfortable doing all your rites in this way, though I do urge you
to ‘at least’ cast your Circle physically.
As a preliminary to the meditation above, you might want to read up on
meditations. Also, I would suggest incorporating the breathing exercises given
in most lessons, including the imagery of the white light.
For such a guided meditation, you might like to record it on tape, ahead of
time, and then play it back to yourself in the Circle.
9. The Solitary IS one.
This can be both an advantage (chiefly so, I feel) and a disadvantage. An
example of the latter: if a Witch happens to have a very short temper and has
been badly used by someone, s/he might possibly be driven by thoughts of
revenge. S/he might be tempted to overlook the Wiccan Rede, rationalizing
her/his thoughts and feelings in some way. However, unless s/he can get all of
the other coven members, including the Priest/ess to feel the same way that s/he
does, s/he can do nothing s/he might later regret. Far more likely is that the
coven would calm her/him an bring the problem into perspective. The Solitary, on
the other hand, does not have this “safety catch”. S/he must, therefore, be
constantly on guard and always carefully and closely examine the situation
before working any magick, giving special thought to the Wiccan Rede.
But on the other side of the coin, the Solitary does not have to make any
compromises in anything s/he does. The Solitary is one with her/himself and is
automatically attuned, with no disharmony or distraction.
So the Solitary Witch is indeed a reality. Don’t let anyone tell you that,
because you don’t belong to a coven and because you were not initiated by
someone (who was initiated by someone who was in turn, initiated by someone… and
so on, ad nauseum), you are not a true Witch. Tell them to read their history
(and ask them who initiated the very first Witch?). you ARE a Witch and you are
so in the fine tradition of Witchcraft. May the Gods be with you.
THE DO’s AND DON’Ts OF WITCHES
WITCHES DO NOT DO EVIL…
They believe that doing evil and harm is against all ethical and moral laws.
Witches simply do not do harm (even to themselves).
WITCHES DO NOT WORSHIP SATAN…
Simply put: He’s THEIR boy…NOT Ours. Witches do not have a Satan/Devil or any
all-evil deity in their religious structure. Witchcraft is a religion that
underscores polarity and views the God and the Goddess as equal entities.
A MALE Witch IS NOT A WARLOCK…
The word Warlock is a Scottish word meaning “oath breaker”, and became a term
designating a male Witch during the ‘burning times’. A Male Witch is simply
that.
WITCHES WEAR CLOTHING OF EVERY COLOR AND EVERY STYLE…
Many Witches do choose to wear black clothing or ritual robes. The color black
is the culmination of all vibrational rates of light on the material plane.
Black absorbs light information and helps Witches be more receptive to psychic
impressions and energies.
WITCHES COME FROM EVERY SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND…
Many Witches are professional people holding positions of responsibility such as
Doctors, Nurses, Police Officers, Teachers, etc. Witchcraft does not
discriminate against color or ethnic origin and does view everything as equal in
the eye of the Goddess and the God.
WITCHES DO USE SPELLS…
A spell is a thought, a projection, or a prayer. Other religions use prayer,
meditation, projection and ritual to produce an intended result. The word
‘spell’ does not imply doing evil or harm.
WITCHES DO USE MAGIC WANDS…
Often you see the use of magic wands in children’s cartoons and movies making
the idea seem frivolous. In actuality, they are used in healing for directing
energy.
WITCHES DO USE WITCHCRAFT AS A SCIENCE, AN ART AND A RELIGION…
They use their knowledge and magic in harmony with the Universe and Nature
around them.
THE WORD “WITCH” HAS A DEEP AND RICH HISTORY…
As defined by the English Oxford dictionary, “Witchcraft” is a Celtic
(pronounced Kell-tick) word meaning the wise, good people. “Wicce” (wick-kay)
designates a female Witch whereas “Wicca” (wick-kah) designates a male Witch.
IN THE RELIGION OF WITCHCRAFT WE VIEW THE PENTACLE AS AN AMULET AND
A SYMBOL FOR PROTECTION…
The five-pointed star represents the human body and the earth. In combination,
the star surrounded by the circle represents the human body encompassed by the
protection of the Goddess/God force. The pentacle is the symbol for Universal
Wisdom.
WITCHES DO CONCERN THEMSELVES WITH ECOLOGY…
They have never forgotten the basic fact: the world is not our enemy. Neither is
it inert, dumb matter. The earth and all living things share the same life-
force. They are composed of patterns of intelligence, of knowledge, and of
divinity. All life is a web. We are woven into it as sisters and brothers off
All. Witches need to be grounded in both worlds and awake to their
responsibilities for both worlds. It is only by being responsible human beings
that we can be responsible Witches and only responsible Witches will survive.*
*Except from “Power of the Witch” by Laurie Cabot.
MICROCOSM AND MACROCOSM
We have been describing ‘traditonal’ occult
philosophy here, and certainly an important part of the
tradition is the idea (and terms) microcosm and macrocosm.
The greater universe, known as the *macrocosm*, includes
everything that exists. It corresponds with the *microcosm*,
or tiny universe, ie. man — who is thought of as a
miniature replica of the macrocosm (whole universe).
This basic magical relationship is demonstrated in the
Bible (Genesis 1.27), where God is the macrocosm; and in
the writing of Trismegistus (“As above so below”). Since
man is in the image of God (universe) it follows that God
is in the image of man (in other words, man and the
God/universe match each other). The magician, as a microcosm
is thus connected with the macrocosm. There is an intimate
relationship of energies between you and everything else.
The universe is reflected within us and we are projected
into the universe. This is an important theory behind magick
and astrology.
Sea Glass as a Magickal Item?
Author: Jillian
I have collected sea glass (glass that has been smoothed and etched by the water and sand of the ocean) since I was a child. Each piece seems to call to me, and often great finds wash up at my feet, like gifts from the waves. I have never heard of sea glass holding any magic properties, beyond that of making beauty out of garbage, but it seems that sea glass does have something about it that is otherworldly.
It comes in every color of the rainbow, with white being the most common, then greens and browns from liquor bottles, but I have found yellows, oranges, reds, and blues. These rare colors are a prize to collectors, and walking on the beach, hunting for pieces encourages meditative thought. The colors can be symbolic, as they are in ritual candles, but I don’t know if the same holds true for sea glass.
As a searcher walks, they take notice of all that is around them, as they look for glass, they also see the other flotsam that has washed up. Many see trash that has washed up, and gather it to properly dispose of. Many take a step further, to work with others to keep plastic trash out of the sea and shore, ensuring a cleaner home for the Goddess and God here on earth, as well as a cleaner home for man and animals. Searchers see dead sea creatures, damaged by pollution. They see live animals, hope for the future. They see children, men, and women enjoying the sea, just as humans have done since antiquity. The ocean calls to us, grants gifts to us.
Glass is simply silica sand and other minerals molten together into a liquid, then shaped and cooled back into a solid. This in itself can be a symbol of how a person’s common background can be transformed through the “trials and tribulations” of life into something beautiful and precious.
Sea glass has gone through two more steps. It has been discarded and broken, deemed worthless, and left to the elements. Worn by sand, broken down by the natural chemical reactions of ocean water, it loses it’s hard sheen, and sharp edges. It smoothes down, sometimes into intricate shapes, and washes up. It has become a gemstone of sorts, helped by man, but ultimately affected most by the acts of nature that surround it.
Sea glass has lost some of its minerals and silica, from being physically worn away, or from being leached out by chemical reactions with the seawater. So too do we lose some of our “selves”, when we work through our adversities. We lose our jagged edges, our impurities. As minerals return to the sea and earth, so too should we offer our losses of selfish behavior, prejudices, avarice, and sloth.
Is that not how we are shaped? We are a part of mankind, and we are partly shaped by our relations to our fellow people, but so much more so are we shaped by our interactions with our Gods and Goddesses, with our spiritual experiences. Just like silica and minerals, we are a part of the earth, but through our interactions with people, we grow stronger, more solidified, and become more valuable and useful after being shaped and molded. However, we do need the final finishing through our spiritual experiences.
Interactions with our deities smooth our sharp edges; they teach us that we are not all-knowing. If we remain sharp and smooth, all we have is our outward appearance and our knowledge. We have no deeper wisdom, no real learning. Just as the sand and salt water buff and scour discarded glass, we must allow our faith to shape us. We too must be spiritually buffed and scoured, so that we might become people of inner and outer beauty and strength.
I take out broken glass, marbles, and beads to the sea, and as I offer them to the Goddess, I offer myself to her. As each shard falls to the bottom of the kelp beds, far out enough that it will not have an easy journey back to shore, I reflect that my journey will not be easy either, but that I will improve through my struggles, just as broken glass improves from trash into treasure. I choose colors of glass that are rare, so that I can give to the future. I buy glass from charity thrift stores, so that others might benefit. Collectors of all ages may one day find joy and astonishment finding a rare color of sea glass that came from one of my offerings. I pray they do.
What does sea glass hold in terms of magic? I feel as though it must hold some spark of sacredness, to have changed so very much into a new and beautiful form. I have searched for information, but found none that speaks about sea glass. Is this because it is a relatively “new” occurrence? Sea glass only became common after glass could be mass-produced and easily discarded, and trash collected as a public service, not disposed of in communal trash pits.
For myself, I have made charms to hang from dream catchers, and some pieces reside in my witch bottle. My mate has his own lucky piece that I gifted him, made of glass and wire found in the surf, a small green medallion of glass. Green is his lucky color, as he is a full-fledged Taurus. These pieces might hold the power of good intentions concentrated on them, but do they hold more?
Should I just take sea glass pieces as gifts from the Goddess, or do they have significance? Are they signs of becoming more “beautiful” through surviving adversity, or do they hold any real strength? Can they be used in offerings or spells? What deities might there be that would most appreciate these offerings, aside from the Goddess?
I hope that you, dear readers, can answer some of my questions, and offer ideas and suggestions of your own. I am so new here, and new to my beliefs, that I really would appreciate guidance.
Whispers of Love
If you are feeling lonely, imagine that one of your dearest friends is by your side. You feel their hand on your shoulder and hear their voice whispering in your ear. They are telling you how special you are and that you will always have a place in their heart. You feel their lips on your forehead as they kiss you goodbye. You are left with a warm sense of being truly loved for who you are.
Time: best done on a full moon.
Cast a circle your normal way, but with an altar facing to your corresponding direction.
(i.e. October birth=east watchtower) have at hand dragon’s blood, sandalwood and rain mist incense.
Burn them as you call upon the Goddess and the God. Explain to them your situation and ask
for wisdom, courage, strength, and knowledge to be bestowed upon yourself.
Once you have done this, do a chant of thanks. Thank the Goddess and God
for their assistance then close the circle thanking all deities that assisted in your endeavors
by making it easier to speak to the Goddess and God. Ensure that you close your circle well.
Sit there and meditate on your request a little longer whilst allowing the incense to burn out naturally.
Once this is done thank yourself and the area that was bestowed upon you to allow you to perform
such a nurturing ritual.
Winds of intellect, attend me.
My mind is strong and alert.
I retain all I learn.
I remember all that is important.
Winds of intellect, attend me!
Repeat whenever needed, preferably outside on a windy day. Now place black pepper oil or crushed peppercorns in a diffuser or on a cotton ball and (carefully!) inhale. Facing south, say:
Fire of strength, attend me.
I am physically fit and strong.
I perform my work energetically.
I am free of fatigue and lassitude.
Fire of strength, attend me!
Repeat whenever necessary, preferably in front of a bonfire or blazing fireplace.
By: Denise Dumars
WIND SCRYING
The Witchcraft Chronicles 
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